Online Learning Insights from COD Online

Category Archives: Ed Tech

Have you heard your professor talking about using the LMS? Maybe heard about an LMS in discussions about online learning? While the term might get tossed around a lot by professionals, many students are left in the dark about just what an LMS actually is, how and why it’s used, and how they can better learn to navigate it for success in their courses. Here, we aim to change that, giving you the basics of what you need to know about an LMS as a student. Continue reading →

Known for its short, powerful talks, TED conferences have become a go-to for those looking to get inspired. Part of their appeal is also that there’s something that will interest just about anyone or apply to any subject, and online learners are no exception. Whether you’re struggling with making progress, interested in the future of online learning, or just want to get inspired by the very process of learning itself, these talks have you covered.

Trying to come up with a great idea for your final paper or presentation? Why not do a little brainstorming with the help of some high-tech tools? There are some really great sites and apps out there that can help you bring together your ideas, work with others, organize your research, and turn a tiny idea into a fully-fleshed out final product.

Here are a few to consider as you’re heading into the home stretch of your semester. Continue reading →

When you’re taking an online course, technology is your lifeline. You can’t get onto your courses, complete assignments, or talk with your classmates without an Internet connection and a working device. So what do you do when your tech fails you?

Here’s a quick guide to handling any kind of tech issue without losing your cool, ensuring you stay on track with your course no matter what life throws your way.

While COD offers many online courses to help you learn to code (check out our online course catalog), sometimes you just want a little outside practice or the flexibility to tackle learning a difficult new skill on your own time. That’s where the plethora of free educational programming resources on the web can be incredibly useful.

Whether you’re looking for a full course or just some short tutorials, there are plenty of resources to choose from, available for nearly every programming language, level of ability, and type of media. Here are a few of the most tried and true coding resources out there to help you learn valuable skills like developing a website or an app or maintaining a database.

Can’t afford a fancy set of virtual reality goggles? These days, you don’t need them to have virtual reality experience. Using Cardboard, an inexpensive (ranging from $5 to $25 depending on the model) cardboard shell with attached lenses, you can turn almost any cell phone into a virtual reality viewer.

What really makes Cardboard cool is the amazing array of apps that have been designed to work with it. Some of them are just for fun (there’s no shortage of games) but many are also full of highly educational content, allowing you to learn about people, places, and events, past and present, in a completely immersive environment. Here are a few apps you can try out to enrich your educational experience while trying out some seriously cool tech.

If there’s one thing you need to get right for taking an online course it’s your access to the Internet. It needs to be reliable, readily available for you to use, and fast enough to ensure that you can complete the things you’ll need to do for the course. But how fast is fast enough? Here, we’ll address the basics of getting the best Internet connection for an online course and discuss the speed you need to keep pace with your coursework.

Twitter has made it possible to keep up with your favorite celebrities, learn about breaking news, and share your thoughts with the world—all in 140 characters or less. But have you ever considered using the site as a way to learn more about your degree program and advance in your career?

While it’s not the most conventional tool for online learning, Twitter can actually help you to become more actively involved in your studies and, as an added bonus, you may actually have quite a bit of fun while doing it. Here are some of the easiest and most productive ways to put Twitter to use in your online courses and beyond.

Taking high-quality notes is one of the most important things you can do to help yourself be successful in your courses, both online and off. While traditional methods like pen and paper still work quite well, if you’re looking for a more high-tech solution there are plenty of options available to you.

Here are a few great tools that make it easy to take, store, share, and organize notes for all of your courses.

You may never actually meet your online classmates, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll never need to work with them in order to complete coursework, tackle a project, or even just to study for a test. Finding an easy way to collaborate can be as simple as finding an app or website that offers the features and the flexibility that you need to complete your work, but with so many options to choose from, where can you start?